PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The goal of the Administrative Core (Core A) is to facilitate the administration and implementation of this Program Project Grant (PPG), by enabling the individual projects of this PPG to be performed in a more integrated and efficient fashion. The activities of this Core will include all scientific and administrative supervisory functions of the PPG, including the organization and supervision of the individual Projects and of the Core facilities. All fiscal records and accounts for the individual projects and for each core facility will be maintained and distributed to Project Leaders and Core Directors on a monthly basis. This Core also will provide administrative support for regular meetings of the Program Director with the Project Leaders, will organize and arrange monthly joint lab meetings of all PPG participants, will organize and arrange annual meetings of the External Advisory Board, and will arrange for seminar speakers to visit on a regular, bimonthly basis. A Project Administrator and a Staff Assistant will be supported to carry out the goals of this Core. The personnel of this Core will have offices in a single location, within the Digestive Diseases Section of the Department of Medicine.